There are four levels of travel warnings issued by Foreign Affairs Canada:

Exercise normal security precautions

Exercise high degree of caution

Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid all travel

UPDATED! As of November 15, 2013, Foreign Affairs said to Exercise high degree of caution in Mexico. However, in Mexico’s Northern States, Foreign Affairs has issued an Avoid non-essential travel warning.

Here’s an excerpt taken from the official warning:

OFFICIAL WARNING: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against non-essential travel to the following northern states: Northern Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Durango and Sinaloa (excluding Mazatlán), due to continuously high levels of violence linked to organized crime. …. Travel to and in Ciudad Juarez poses particular challenges and requires extreme caution. Canadians required to travel to Monterrey, in the State of Nuevo León, should avoid movement after dark and stay within the suburb of San Pedro Garza García.

Whether to travel to Mexico is a highly personal decision, but, for now at least, information from Foreign Affairs Canada suggests that travel to areas in the far south, like Playa del Carmen and Cancun, is less risky than travel to Northern areas.

*As always, the information on this page is from one Canadian traveller to another. We have spent years abroad and have gotten to know the ins and outs of the industry however we are not travel insurance agents. If you have any travel insurance questions, please talk to a qualified travel insurance agent or broker. Finally, policies and plans can and do change all the time, without warning, so always consult your insurance policy since that is the legal document to which you are agreeing to. *This article is only intended as general advice. Please check your own policy carefully.

A true world traveller, Lanie Kay has been to over 30 countries in the past decade and loves nothing more than waking up in a foreign country. Born and raised in western Canada, she knows the value of a dollar and, just like everyone, wishes there was more transparency when dealing with large companies.

The information and content of this site is intended for general informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as insurance, legal, financial, tax or any other professional advice or services. Insurance policy wordings are subject to change at any time, without prior notice. We are not responsible for errors or consequences from your use of this information.
Read policy details to ensure that a policy is right for you.